Office Food

Summary

Office Ladies Podcast: "Office Food" (October 22, 2025)

Hosts: Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey
Special Guests: Joshua Snyder (Angela’s husband), Rainn Wilson, Creed Bratton, Caterer Sergio Giacomen, BJ Novak (audio), and archival clips.

---

Episode Overview

This episode is a nostalgic, in-depth exploration of all things food on The Office—both what was eaten on-screen and what fueled the cast and crew behind the scenes. Hosted by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, it features memorable food-centric moments, hilarious prop food mishaps, special cast interviews about their culinary experiences, and a warm tribute to Sergio Giacomen, the show’s beloved caterer. Plus: culinary tie-ins with Angela & Josh’s new cookbook, a lost episode pitch, and gems from DVD extras.

---

1. Opening: Food, Friendship & a Cookbook Launch ([02:29]-[13:11])

• Cookbook Celebration: The episode kicks off with Angela’s husband, Joshua Snyder, joining to celebrate their new cookbook, You Can Make This ([04:39]-[13:08]).
  • Genesis: The book evolved from their “Baking with Josh & Ange” YouTube show, their blended family meals, and years of curated recipes.
  • Behind the Scenes Process: Angela shares, “You’re gonna pitch this book; in three years, you’ll hold it in your hand” ([05:17]).
  • Recipes & Family: Includes stories for each recipe; a back-and-forth writing style similar to the BFFs’ book.
  • Josh’s Kitchen Zen: “Baking is kind of like your Zen garden.” –Angela ([08:20]).
  • Welcoming Home Theme: The book aims to feel like “you’re just coming home with us and hanging out.” ([09:11])
  • Signature Recipes: Granola, one-sheet fajitas, and snickerdoodles get special mention ([11:36]-[12:38]).
  • Philosophy: The book’s title is derived from Josh’s constant encouragement: “You can make this”—an inclusive approach for the whole family ([10:20]).

Notable Quote:

“We sort of joke that when we grow old, we’re gonna, like, live in some little town, and he’s gonna make granola, and we’re gonna put it in little brown paper bags and sell it at the corner coffee shop.” –Angela ([12:09])

---

2. Food as a Plot Device on The Office ([17:33]-[25:51])

• Iconic Food Moments:
  • Stapler in Jell-O: A running gag, with B recounting five notable instances ([18:05]).
  • Michael’s Bacon & “The Injury”: Jenna recalls deleted scenes with over-the-top gas station food ([19:02]).
  • Dwight’s Peanut Butter Incident, Store Potato Salad, Finer Things Club’s Popcorn, and More: Food as both comic beats and character development tools.
  • Pie in "Work Bus" – a fan and cast favorite ([20:55]-[21:06]).
  • Grilled Cheese on the Roof: Jenna’s top memory ([21:09]-[21:18]).
  • Prop Food Preparation: Phil Shea’s culinary contributions, including PB&J sandwiches and French toast ([22:30]-[22:56]).
  • Prop Food Disasters: Maggoty chocolates, shellacked decorative food, and actors (Ed Helms, Mindy Kaling, BJ Novak) who loved to “sample” the wrong items and nearly got sick ([25:06]-[26:40]).
  • Actor Suffering: Angela on eating ice cream cake at 7am for hours:

    “By the end of it, you don’t ever want another piece of ice cream cake again in your life. For years, lady, for years, I could not eat ice cream anything after that episode.” ([24:34])

---

3. Cast Interviews: Food Stories & Fan-Favorite Moments

Rainn Wilson (& Jenna) In the Car ([27:33]-[34:15])

Memorable Bits:

• Rainn’s Actor’s Commitment:

  “One of the things that really bugs me about actors is when you’re watching a movie and you can see they aren’t really eating... I’ve always prided myself on, like, committing to eating.” ([29:24])

• Behind-the-Scenes Trivia:
  • Breakfast scene with Jan: “I cover the whole thing with syrup.” Massive pancake consumption ([30:49]).
  • Fallout shelter scene: “I was eating, like, syrupy canned goods. But again, I ate a lot of syrupy canned goods.” ([31:44])
  • Favorite off-set breakfast: “Hella lot of turkey bacon.” ([33:30])
• Turkey Bacon Origins: Unclear if started by Rashida Jones or John Krasinski ([35:29]-[35:49]).
• Jenna’s Reflection: “It was kind of legendary, which is why we’re doing a whole episode about it today.” ([36:11])

Creed Bratton’s Food Memory ([36:16]-[37:22])

• Noodles Scene: Eating noodles with chopsticks during the mass vomiting scene (“barfing chain”) in Niagara ([36:25]).
• Simple On-Set Meals:

  “Toward the end, I basically ate at lunch, just piece of chicken and some broccoli. In the morning, I’d have egg whites and sausage and a piece of toast.” ([36:25])

• Dueling Chicken: Creed and John apparently both loved the chicken and broccoli combo ([36:25]).

---

4. Lost Content: Kevin’s Food Show, DVD Extras, and a Missing Episode

Kevin's Vending Machine Creations from the Bonus DVD ([38:52]-[44:35])

• Kevin’s Desk Quesadilla: Chips and cheese whiz microwaved for a “Quesadilla, a la Kevin” ([41:06]).
• Jenna and Angela Taste-Test: "It did not have the texture of food... salty, then the cheese came at me hard, and it kind of made my eyes water.” –Angela ([49:02])
• Crème Brûlée Attempt: Pudding in a can with sugar, “baked” in a toaster oven ([43:00]).
• Beer Brewing in Accounting Desk: Office rule workaround ([43:48]).

Unproduced Episode: “Lunch the Nooner” ([50:31]-[57:47])

• Premise: Michael leaves for a “lunch meeting” with Jan (actually a nooner at Howard Johnson’s, followed by awkward actual lunch).
• Expanded Lunch Routines:
  • Pam/Karen/Kelly/Phyllis in the break room (Kelly on a cleanse).
  • Oscar owes Kevin lunch; they go to an unexpectedly romantic deli.
  • Stanley naps in his car.
  • Dwight’s long-distance military girlfriend returns—double date “spy” scene with Jim and Karen.
  • Andy and Meredith bond over being outcasts—and, in the intended tag, have sex in her car.
• Meta Commentary: Would have shown personalized lunch habits rarely seen on TV workplaces.

---

5. Office Food Behind the Scenes: Community, Craft Services & Catering

The Legendary Food Spread ([58:04]-[82:37])

Key Details:

• Communal Meals: Open-air tables outside Stage 3; a true community space where barriers between cast, writers, crew faded ([80:52]-[81:35]).
• Personal Attention: Special meals for cast, family members, and visiting kids.
• Meal Memories:
  • “Food brings you together.” –Jenna ([81:04])
  • Office babies and pregnancies especially cared for ([59:07]).

Sergio Giacomen: The Iconic Caterer ([66:04]-[83:18])

Sergio’s interview highlights:

• Early Days: Started as a dishwasher, worked up to chef. The Office was his first full-time show ([72:40]).
• Signature Dishes: Pasta bars, taco bars, breakfast staples (egg whites, turkey bacon, black beans, mini tacos, “Rashida special”) ([69:33], [72:06]).
• Adaptability: Kept up with dietary needs (vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, etc.) and personal requests.
• Desserts: “Cookie cake” with ice cream became a must ([78:44]).
• Favorite Snack: Chico sticks; for meals—tacos with salsa ([78:01]).
• Fondest Memory: Steve Carell’s last day and the collective family formed on the show ([76:26]).

Notable Quote:

“There’s nothing like that, you know, ever going to happen again, I don’t think. Once in a lifetime.” –Sergio ([70:40])

---

6. Bonus Features: John Krasinski’s "PSAs" ([84:17]-[85:10])

Jelly Beans:

“Don’t eat the black jelly beans. They taste disgusting. Just my opinion, but it’s true.” –John ([84:17])

Saltines:

“Eating six saltines in under a minute may sound like a lot of fun, but it’s also really dangerous. So please eat crackers responsibly.” –John ([84:57])

Angela & Jenna Reflect:

• Angela: “He’s so, like, sincere.” ([85:15])
• Jenna: “These are great. So cute.” ([85:10])

---

7. Top Takeaways and Running Themes

• Food as Community: Meals on The Office weren’t just background—they were a central part of daily life, camaraderie, and even plotlines on the show.
• Personal Connections & Care: From custom breakfast orders to kid-friendly snacks, Sergio and the entire craft team personalized service, building lasting bonds.
• Shared Memories: Warm reminiscences (and occasional gross-outs) show how food was both a source of joy and misery, solidarity and suffering—on and off screen.
• Legacy: Both fans and cast/crew continue to cherish the communal, food-fueled spirit of The Office long after its wrap.

---

8. Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “Baking is kind of like your Zen garden.” –Angela Kinsey ([08:20])
• “I like a woman with that appetite.” –Rainn Wilson ([29:07])
• “We had a big, like, egg white trend in the mornings. What did they do with all the yolks?” –Jenna ([37:29])
• “We’ve sort of joked that when we grow old, we’re gonna, like, live in some little town, and he’s gonna make granola, and we’re gonna put it in little brown paper bags and sell it at the corner coffee shop.” –Angela ([12:09])
• “Meals on the Office felt like Thanksgiving gathering every day.” –Jenna ([81:49])

---

9. Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:29] – Food episode theme & guest intro
• [04:39]-[13:08] – Angela & Josh: Cookbook discussion
• [17:33] – Iconic food moments on The Office
• [27:33] – Rainn Wilson interview
• [36:16] – Creed Bratton’s food memory
• [38:52] – Kevin’s cooking show DVD extra
• [50:31]-[57:47] – "Lunch the Nooner" lost episode pitch
• [58:04]-[83:18] – Office catering, craft service, Sergio interview
• [84:17] – John’s “PSA” DVD extras

---

10. Closing

A love letter to the way food holds people together, this episode delivers funny, heartwarming, and revealing anecdotes about both the fictional Dunder Mifflin and the very real family built behind the scenes.
Final call:

“Everyone go get Josh and Angela’s cookbook. You Can Make This. It is on shelves right now.” –Jenna ([85:38])

---

If you love The Office, this episode is a hearty, deeply satisfying meal—filled with laughter, nostalgia, and a surprising number of tales about breakfast burritos, prop food horror stories, and the simple magic of eating together.

Transcript

[A]

Hi, everybody. Hi from Chicago.

[B]

Hey, lady. How's it going? Look at you. You're in your kitchen now.

[A]

I know. We found this place on Airbnb and it's so cute. I gave you a whole zoom tour of it. I showed you the bookshelf. It's decorated so cute. It's been so cozy. The bed is so comfortable. I kind of need to ask these people, what's up with your amazing bed and bedding? They really went all out. It's great. Lee and I, like, we just multiple times. We're old people, I guess we just talk about how great the bedding is. Listen, are you someone who goes away a lot or maybe you go away at the same time every year you have like a family tradition reunion or a work event. Throw your place on Airbnb, get some extra money, pay for your trip.

[B]

Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how [e-mail] host well, y', all, cozy season is here and it just makes me want to hunker down, stay at home, never leave my couch. But I also need my house to look nice because it's the holidays and people are going to be coming over. And I want to talk to you about Bob's Discount Furniture. Here's the thing with Bob's Discount Furniture, you can get high quality furniture in all the latest styles for a fraction of what you pay at other furniture stores. And how they can do that is Bob's buys directly from the manufacturers, so you can save all that cash. It's everyday low prices all year long, so you always know what you're going to get. One of the things I love is that they do bundles. So you can, for example, you can bundle a sofa and a loveseat, or you can bundle a four piece bedroom set and save even more money. It's called bundle and save at Bob's. Kind of catchy. I like it. But they also have dining room sets, leather sofas, recliners with all the bells and whistles, like the hidden cup holders, Bluetooth speakers, even lights that sync with your music. Some people are really going to turn it up in that living room. See how much you can save in store [e-mail].

[A]

I'm Jenna Fisher.

[B]

And I'm Angela Kinsey.

[A]

We were on the Office together and we're best friends. And now we're doing the ultimate office lovers podcast just for you.

[B]

Week. We will dive deeper into the world of the Office with exclusive interviews, behind the scenes details and lots of BFF stories.

[A]

We're the Office Lady 6.0. Hello, everyone.

[B]

Hi.

[A]

Welcome to Office Lady 6.0. Today we are going to be discussing all things food on the Office. So behind the scenes, in the scenes, you're going to hear from some of our cast members about their food memories. Plus, Sergio Giacomen, our awesome caterer, is gonna be with us later on in the episode. He's gonna tell us all about his time feeding the cast and crew of the Office.

[B]

Yes, it was so wonderful talking with him. He has such fond memories of the show. And you know, there were some pretty epic food moments that happened at Dunder Mifflin. We're gonna need to discuss those. And some unbelievable food content I found in the bonus features on the DVDs. I can't wait to share you. Here's a teaser. One involves a Dunder Mifflin employee who starts a cooking show. Uh huh. And the other are some food PSAs that John Krasinski did for NBC.

[A]

Well, lady, I might have found something in my digital clutter.

[B]

You said that. And I can't believe it. Like you have digital. First of all, you have digital clutter. And secondly, it's about food.

[A]

Okay, I'll explain it all when we get to it. But first, we have a very special guest in the studio with us today. And also a loyal Office Ladies listener. And you are smiling because.

[B]

Yes, because today's guest is my husband and an amazing self taught chef and baker, Joshua Snyder. Welcome, Josh.

[C]

Thank you. Thank you guys so much. Oh man, it's surreal to be here because I am such a fan of you guys in the podcast. And so it's just like to actually be here. I'm like, oh my gosh, it's crazy.

[B]

Listen to every single episode of Office Ladies.

[A]

Every episode, including our second drinks.

[C]

Oh, second drinks are great. I love the second drinks. I love the top show you guys do with the second drink.

[B]

Yeah, he's very encouraging. He's like, I like the tidbits.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

And re listening to it has been great. I've rediscovered how much I love your podcast all over again.

[B]

Oh, come on, it's great. He should do ads for Office Ladies.

[A]

I agree. Well, we thought it would be a really fun way to kick off this food episode by talking with you, Josh and Angela. Because the two of you had a cookbook come out yesterday.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

October 21st. Your new cookbook called you can make this.

[B]

It came out yesterday. It's very surreal to us. We're like doing press for it. We are on the Today show.

[C]

I Mean, it's been a whirlwind, and I'm so happy it's finally out, too. It's been such a long time coming. You know, we've been working on this cook. You guys know, writing a book takes a long time. Like, a lot longer than you think it does, you know?

[B]

Yeah. No. When we very first decided, okay, we're gonna take all of our favorite recipes. You know, we had the YouTube baking with Josh and Ann show, and then Josh has been curating recipes for years on our website. And we were like, it's time to do our cookbook. And I was like, babe. And I told him, jenna, what you told me, you're like, you're gonna pitch this book in three years. You'll hold it in your hand.

[C]

It's so accurate, too. I mean, I was like, ser going to take that. I can't imagine it taking that long. You know, it's like, I have the recipes ready to go. Like, what. What else is there? You know, what's the whole.

[A]

Gosh, this is amazing. Angela, you were me in the cookbook. The way I was with our book, I was like, oh, gosh. Buckle in, ladies.

[B]

Buckle in. There's going to be revisions, photography, so many revisions. A lot of people are going to weigh in on things you never even imagined you'd be talking about. Font size and color and. Yeah.

[A]

Well, this cookbook is such a lovely reflection of the two of you. I have said this before, but my kids always get so excited to come to your house for dinner or when you come to our house, and they know you're gonna bring something. Cause the food's always so great. And also, your home is just so welcoming. And I really felt that in the cookbook. Can you guys share a little bit about how you started this food? I mean, my memory of you two dating and hearing from Angela was that you were always kind of in the kitchen.

[B]

Well, yeah, I mean, I. Here's the thing. Josh was always whipping up some dessert that all the moms at the school were talking about. He would bring these sugar cookies for events, and they looked like works of art, but they also tasted really good. So I was like, who's this guy?

[C]

Yeah, I mean, I started, like, making the cookies and cakes, you know, when the kids were small. And I think mostly I was a dad on a budget, you know, so I wanted to be able to give them what they wanted for their birthday, you know, and, you know, they wanted, like, a ninjago cake or, like, some sort of, like, themed character cake. I wanted to be able to do that for them. So. And, you know, cakes are expensive at the store, so I really thought that I could just, you know, make it myself.

[B]

This is very much him being also just like his family. They just do it themselves. You know, they're Kansas and Colorado, and they're just going to figure it out. They're not going to pay someone to do it for them.

[C]

Well, very Midwest, right?

[B]

Yes.

[C]

I mean, all of your stories about St. Louis, I'm like, oh, yeah, that's Kansas. That's the same thing. So. Yeah. But it started out like it's just a hobby, really. And then as I got more into it, I got more gear, and then all of a sudden, I'm the person with two drawers of different icing tips. I'm like, what happened to me?

[D]

I don't know.

[A]

Well, you made those cakes and cookies, then for my kids birthdays, you made some for Mindy's daughter. Like, you started. Then people were like, hold on. Because a lot of times, like you said, ang, they look good, but they don't taste good. Josh's stuff is both.

[B]

Yeah. And, you know, I think for you, too, Josh, like, baking is kind of like your Zen garden.

[C]

Absolutely.

[B]

It's like where you go to relax.

[C]

Absolutely. And actually, it's funny because this cookbook, I did so much of this cookbook listening to Office Ladies, because I'm a huge audiobook person, a podcast person, and I would say, I mean, majority of these recipes, I was listening to an Office Ladies episode or two. Yeah.

[A]

Wow. You're welcome.

[B]

Thank you.

[C]

Office Ladies is a huge part of this book.

[A]

We're in the book.

[B]

We're in the book.

[A]

I like it.

[B]

And here's the other thing, too, is not only is Josh a great baker, but he's also a great chef. So one of the things, we have a busy household. We have lots of kids. They always have friends over. So we're big on easy dinners and great snacks and breakfast and lunches. So there's really everything in here, and we wanted it to feel like you were just coming home with us and hanging out.

[C]

Yeah. And Ange did such a great job with the personal stories, you know, because every. Every recipe does have a story, because it means something to us. It's either something that we've, you know, we make all the time in our house, or it was, you know, my grandma's recipe or her grandma's recipe. And Ange just had a way of, like, you know, writing the book to make it feel like you're part of our kitchen and part of our family, which, you know are.

[B]

Yes, exactly. And I did take a nod to our book, Jenna, because I love that we had a back and forth. So we did that with our cookbook. If there was a recipe that was special to Josh, he would write a little thing or I would write a little thing. So you have this back and forth. But I'm just so excited also for our kids to have this book. It really feels like our home to me. I hope everyone likes it. There's beautiful food photography. I wanna give a shout out to Victoria Harris and her whole team. But then there's also these candid pictures of us and our life in our home.

[C]

Yeah, our kids grew up in the kitchen, too. And these are the recipes that they grew up with. And so I'm so happy that we have this keepsake for them. Besides, you know, putting it out for everyone else. This, for our kids, was really important for us to have these. You know, these are the recipes we grew up with.

[B]

Yeah, well. And, you know, just to wrap up, one of the reasons we named the cookbook, you can make this is because I am not a natural in the kitchen. I'm pretty much a hot mess in the kitchen. And Josh would always say to me, you can make this. And he would also say that to our kids. Like, they would try a recipe, and he'd be like, guys, you can make this. So when it came time to name the book, I was like, babe, we have to call it you can make this. Cause that's what you say to us all the time.

[C]

Yeah, it's true.

[A]

Well, I would also like to call your cookbook, you can eat this. Because this is true about your recipes and your cooking. Josh is. For example, you have your one sheet fajitas. That is a family favorite of ours. Is that in the cookbook?

[C]

Absolutely.

[B]

Yay.

[A]

Okay. And the spice mix on that, it's not too spicy for the kids, but it's still complex for the adults. So it's like, mild but complex. And something that I think is true of all your cooking is you really can. I would tell my kids, you can eat this. Josh made it. They'd be like, okay, then I'll try it. And it got them to try new. So you can make this, and your kids can eat this. This is a cookbook for the whole family. And, Josh, please tell me that you brought something in for us today.

[C]

Oh, you know, I did.

[A]

Because I see a box next to you.

[C]

You know, I did. All right, so I brought in the.

[B]

Granola Josh's homemade granola. It's my favorite granola. If you love granola, y', all, this is for you. The recipe is in the cookbook.

[C]

I spent years perfecting this granola recipe, and it's, like, I can say it's. It's one of, like. It's one of the best recipes in the book.

[A]

I'm a little surprised you included it in the cook.

[B]

I said he shouldn't. I was like, babe, you need to sell this at the grocery store.

[A]

I agree. I agree.

[B]

But he wanted to share it. He wanted you guys to be able to make it too.

[A]

I do.

[C]

I do. I want. And you know, I'll still make it for you too, you know?

[B]

I know, I know. We sort of joke that when we grow old, we're gonna, like, live in some little town, and he's gonna make granola, and we're gonna put it in little brown paper bags and sell it at the corner little coffee shop.

[A]

Yes. And you should also do, like, spice mixes. Josh's fajita spice mix. Josh's taco spice mix. You're good with the spices.

[C]

Thank you. Thank you so much.

[A]

Spicy and granola. It's your autobiography.

[B]

And then lastly, Elsie did bring some snickerdoodles. Oh, yay.

[C]

And these were probably the first cookie that I actually, I think perfected, too, like, where I was like, okay, this is, like, this is just dang good a great cookie, and I'm super confident with it. So I brought one for Cassie and Sam, too.

[A]

Wow. Getting some cheers from the booth.

[B]

Yay. Well, we're so happy to have you here. We're so excited for our cookbook. You guys go out and get it if you haven't. It's called you'd can make this. We really just made this with, like, a lot of love in our hearts. We hope you like it.

[A]

Help Josh and Ang get on the bestseller list, y'.

[B]

All.

[A]

Get this cookbook. All right, we will take a break, and when we come back, we're gonna start talking about all the food on the office.

[B]

Yep. You know, those school mornings are always so busy. Everyone's kind of bustling around. And one thing, though, that makes it so much better are Eggo waffles.

[A]

Yes. And now we have the new Eggo protein waffles and pancakes.

[B]

They taste great. They're made with wholesome ingredients and 20% of your daily protein. So look, the new Eggo protein waffles taste amazing. It provides the same great taste of Eggo waffles that your family has known and loved, plus the protein they need. And you can make them part of your complete breakfast.

[A]

Well, this is something that both of my kids can agree on. And I appreciate that. Because you know what I don't need to do each morning is make different breakfasts. I'm not a diner.

[B]

Oh, no, you don't have time for that. You're not a short order chef.

[A]

I'm not. I'm actually not. That's a hard job.

[B]

I know.

[A]

So I really appreciate that. My kids can agree on the eggo buttermilk vanilla protein waffles. Now, they like different toppings. Fine.

[B]

Fair.

[A]

My daughter likes a little bit of syrup. My son really likes strawberries and a little bit of whipped cream, which I'm fine with.

[B]

Yeah, same here. We all eat them differently. I just grab one and eat it just plain because I just like it like that.

[A]

Let me ask you this question, though. Do you like yours super toasty or a little toasty? Cause I like them super toasty. Like, I want to, like, crunch into it. That's my favorite.

[B]

I like it middle toasty.

[A]

Middle toasty. So I like them just because the buttermilk and vanilla is so flavorful. I don't need anything on top of it. So I just like it super toasty. And what I can do is I can just eat that, like, while I'm walking around the kitchen packing up a backpack.

[B]

And guess what? While you're walking around eating that, you're getting 10 grams of complete protein per serving. How about that?

[A]

Look at that.

[B]

Now look, my family eats these in the morning, but I like them as a snack as well. Just going to throw that out there. Little afternoon snack with a cup of tea. I always want something like this at about 3:00'.

[D]

Clock.

[A]

I think what we're learning here is that there are a lot of ways to eat these waffles.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Really? You can put lots of stuff on top of them or nothing on top of them. And you can have them in the.

[B]

Morning or you can have them in the afternoon.

[A]

This is making me hungry. And we haven't even mentioned that there's a chocolate chip brownie version.

[B]

Oh, my gosh. Yes. And I had it. I had the chocolate chip brownie version. And guess what I did. What did you do? I sprinkled powdered sugar on top of it.

[A]

That's kind of genius.

[B]

Head to your local grocery store to fuel your morning with Eggo protein waffles and pancakes. Available at retailers nationwide. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. October 10th is World Mental Health Day. And this year we're saying thank you therapists. BetterHelp therapists have helped over 5 million people worldwide on their mental health journeys. This world mental health day, BetterHelp is honoring those connections and the therapists who make them possible. BetterHelp has 12 plus years experience in matching people to the right therapist. Here's how it works. BetterHelp does the initial matching work for you so you can focus on your therapy goals. A short questionnaire helps identify your needs and preferences. And their 12 plus years of experience and industry leading match fulfillment rate mean they typically get it right the first time. But if you aren't happy with your match, you can switch to a different therapist at any time. This World Mental Health Day, we're celebrating the therapists who've helped millions of people take a step forward. If you're ready to find the right therapist for you, BetterHelp can help you start that journey. Our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.comofficeladies that's BetterHelp. H E L P.com officeladies well, we are back. That was so fun for me. I know he was really nervous and I was like, josh, it's just me and Jenna, you know, but he just wanted to do a good job. And he's so earnest, you know, as a person. I was so delighted to have him on the podcast.

[A]

You guys are so cute together. All right, well, I think it's time to dig into some of the most fun food moments, both on and offset of the Office. Let's start with onset.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

You know, there are so many ways that food served as a plot point in episodes. Yeah, like a lot. Starting with the pilot with the stapler in Jell.

[B]

Oh, I actually looked up how many times we put things in Jell O on the show. Are you ready for this?

[A]

Is it more than two?

[B]

It is. Well, if you count a simulation, that's a hint. So you have Dwight's stapler. Right? That's in the pilot. You have Michael's world's best boss mug.

[A]

Also in the pilot.

[B]

Also in the pilot you have Andy's calculator in Gay Witch Hunt.

[A]

Oh, wow, I forgot about that.

[B]

That's right. And then you have Dwight's rocket launcher in local ad. So remember in that episode, Dwight is playing that online game Second Life.

[A]

Oh, yes.

[B]

And Jim has a character in it too. And Dwight finds his rocket launcher in Jell O. And then lastly, Dwight's phone in manager and salesman.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

So that was definitely a running food Gag.

[A]

Well, there are so many more. I was going down memory lane and I thought of just Michael's love of bacon, which then leads him to burning his foot.

[B]

Classic.

[A]

And then, you know, there's those scenes that were deleted that have been added back to the super fan episode for the injury of all the food that Ryan brings Michael from the gas station. It's pretty incredible. And then I thought of the peanut butter that Dwight has to put in Michael's hair to get the gum out. Or the store bought potato salad that Michael brings to David Wallace's party. How about Phyllis's microwave popcorn that interrupts the finer things club meeting?

[B]

So good.

[A]

These are all ways that food is used as a plot point. I mean, Kevin's chili, Angela's brownies, Andy making cherries jubilee, and of course, Ryan's cheese pita that started the fire. There are so many. But I think maybe my favorite food plotline is the one that led us to meet sconesy cider.

[B]

Oh, sconesy cider.

[A]

And you know, lady, I went to the superfan episode for christening when I was prepping this episode of All About Food. I was just hoping there was more sconesy cider. There's not.

[B]

Oh, that's it.

[A]

You get what you get.

[B]

You get what you get. Well, I was thinking about too, just all of the Christmas parties. All the parties. The food.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So much. And then, of course, there are all the things that we actually had to eat, like Meredith's ice cream cake, pretzels on pretzel day. Nellie had to eat all those tacos. Kevin ate a stalk of raw broccoli. Creed's mung beans. Creed's raw potato. Michael's mayo and olives. Michael's fettuccine Alfredo. Ugh. And fun run. Dwight eating a hard boiled egg that made everyone sick. And then, of course, we all got to eat pie in work bus.

[A]

Oh, yeah, that pie was so good. Yeah. I was thinking back to some of my favorite office food scenes, and the pie is definitely one of them. Like, I'll never forget that piece.

[B]

I'll never forget that pie because of what we went through to get it.

[A]

I know, but you know what else I'll never forget is the grilled cheese on the roof. Jim and Pam's grilled cheesesteak. It was so good.

[B]

You've talked about that grilled cheese.

[A]

I know.

[B]

I feel like you're chasing that one particular grilled cheese. Have you ever had anything come close to it?

[A]

That's a good question. Like, since.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Have I Had a grilled cheese like that. Grilled cheese. I don't know if I have.

[B]

I'm gonna tell you one my mom made that was so good. She had her skillet, she put a little pat of butter in there. She got that thick Texas toast and just, like, American cheddar cheese. And she made me a grilled cheese. And that bread got a little crispy and crunchy, and then the cheese was gooey, and she did it in the skillet.

[A]

You know, my son has a friend, and whenever he goes to this friend's house, the mom makes some grilled cheese. And it kind of sounds like that. And I'm going to shout her out. Stephanie, I'm talking about your grilled cheese on Office Ladies. Because it is legend in our house. Like Stephanie's grilled cheese is to my son what Jim and Pam's rooftop grilled cheese is.

[B]

I wonder who made it for you that day.

[A]

I'd love to know. It might have just been Phil Shea, probably. I mean, yeah.

[B]

He would whip up stuff for us.

[A]

Yeah. For those scenes. Because I know that Phil Shea made the French toast that I ate in Dream Team at Michael's condo. And it was likewise delicious.

[B]

Phil Shea made me peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. When I would have to eat something in the background and I needed a sandwich, he would make me the best dang pbj.

[A]

What was so good about it?

[B]

You know, I feel like it was the bread.

[A]

He just got great bread.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Was it like white bread or wheat bread? Was it, like, thicker bread? Describe it to me. He asked me, you guys, this is turning into, like. This is, like, food porn episode. But tell me, please.

[B]

He listed all the breads I could possibly want. And I was like, phil, I just like, you know, a basic white bread. And the one he got, I don't.

[A]

Know what it was.

[B]

It was, like, kind of squishy. A little, you know, not damp squishy, like the good, bouncy squishy. And it was so yummy.

[A]

You know what one of my other favorite onset food memories is, Is the cheese puffs.

[B]

Were they good?

[A]

No, I'm sorry. I should say it's what the cheese puffs brought to my life.

[B]

It was a lot of fun.

[A]

They were kind of stale, and I.

[B]

Think you guys, like, everything was stained orange, like your fingertips.

[A]

Yeah, but we had so much fun shooting that. Well, I have a question for you, Angela. Did you ever have, like, a scene where you had to eat something that you hated?

[B]

It wasn't so much that I hated. It's when it turned on me. Okay, here's the thing. I've talked about this before, but when we have that ice cream cake in the alliance for Meredith's birthday, who didn't even want dairy? We started filming that at 7am 7am someone hands you a plate of a big slice of ice cream cake. You haven't eaten anything else because you're not a breakfast person. So the first thing you eat is a big honking piece of ice cream cake. And then you eat that piece of cake for three more hours.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And by the end of it, you don't ever want another piece of ice cream cake again in your life. I mean, for years, lady, for years I could not eat, like, ice cream anything like ice cream related. After that episode, it really turned on me. They had to get me a bucket.

[A]

Oh, lady. Same.

[B]

Yeah, same. That was really tough. And then, do you remember I was trying to figure out the episode where the party planning committee. I think it was a Christmas episode where they had all the chocolates and chocolate boxes.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

And Ed Helms and Mindy, who were notorious for eating prop food, started digging into the chocolates and one had maggots in it.

[A]

Oh, yes. I remember this. Because they did not intend for us to eat them.

[B]

Yes. It was supposed to be set decoration. And Mindy and Ed started going into them and we.

[A]

I know.

[B]

Oh, my God. We freaked out. We're like, ah. Oh, it was so, so disgusting.

[A]

Well, now that's bringing up a memory for me where I can't remember what it was. I feel like. Cause it was me and bj. BJ also loved to eat prop food and there was like a big buffet of food. Gosh. It might have been.

[B]

Was it Diwali?

[A]

No, no, no, no. It was in the conference room. Oh, I wish I could remember, but it was a conference room scene and there's tons of food. But, like, the storyline is that we're actually not wanting to eat it. I can't remember why. What this is. Someone out there is probably like shouting it out right now. But because that food was going to stay out for a long period of time, they had kind of sprayed something on it to keep it safe, like under the lights so it wouldn't get super nasty and smell. But you were not supposed to eat it. And BJ and I, like, between takes, we were like picking at the buffet and they had to run over and be like, no, no, no, no. Do not eat that. That is. It's not even prop food. It's like decorative food.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

They're like, don't eat the decorative food.

[B]

And they had shellacked it with something.

[A]

Which is like what those chocolates were. Those were like decoration. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Well, I feel like for the most part, I was really spared from having to eat anything gross. Like, I. I think about you guys and those hot dogs on beach games.

[B]

My character was a vegetarian when she needed to be. I mean, we've discussed that. Sometimes she is, sometimes she isn't, but. So I did not eat the hot dogs.

[A]

I didn't either because I was taking my diligent notes.

[B]

Yeah, but a bunch of people did and they got real grossed out.

[A]

I remember when it turned on them.

[B]

A hot dog turning on you outside and it was hot out there eating all those hot dogs in the hot sun. Ah.

[A]

Well, one of the people who had to do the most eating on our show was Rainn Wilson.

[B]

Wait, can I just stop you right there?

[A]

What is it?

[B]

Had to do a lot of eating or chose to do a lot of eating?

[A]

Both, I think. Both.

[B]

Definitely both. Because when he commits, he goes all out and he didn't have to eat as much as he did.

[A]

Well, before I left town, I had lunch with Rain. And after our lunch, we sat in my car and he shared his on and off set food memories with me. It was really sweet. I want you guys to hear it.

[B]

Okay?

[E]

Hey, office ladies, people, listeners, this is Rain.

[A]

Hi, Rain, it's Jenna.

[E]

Jenna Fisher.

[A]

I'm with you.

[E]

We just had lunch and Jenna brought her sound recording equipment, this very fancy TASCOM recorder with lots of fancy cables and, and a big mic attached to it. And then she forgot to put like.

[A]

I guess the SIM card thing in it.

[E]

The card in it. So we're recording it on my phone and this is.

[A]

Yes. Well, we just ate food and I said we're doing an episode about office food. And you have some good stories because you had the very unique position of having both insane food storylines written for you where you had to eat crazy things, but then also you made some choices that you. Maybe I did had to deal with.

[E]

But first of all, I want to say that you had breakfast for lunch today.

[A]

I did, yeah.

[E]

Yeah. So we had lunch and then Jenna had the avocado toast with poached eggs and bacon.

[A]

I wanted both eggs and bacon on my avocado to toast at 1:30pm she went for it.

[E]

And it was glorious to see. I love a woman with that appetite.

[A]

Yes. I have never denied my appetite. I can't do it. I like it too much.

[E]

And Dwight has his appetites.

[A]

Yes, he certainly does.

[F]

Yeah.

[E]

No, your question was right on. Because here's the thing. One of the things that really bugs me about actors is when you're watching a movie and you can see that the actors aren't really eating in a meal scene. They're, like, pushing the food around on their plates. They're pushing the peas around or whatever. Because, you know, when you're shooting a scene, you have to shoot, like, 12 different takes and lots of different versions. And, you know, and I get it, people don't want to, like, be eating enormous mouthfuls of food, because if you do 12 takes, then that's, you know, 12 times how. However many mouthfuls of food. But that's one thing that's always bugged me. So I've always kind of, as an actor, prided myself on, like, committing to eating.

[A]

Well, I appreciate it. I mean, how fun is it to watch all of those great actors and, like, Goodfellas and the Godfather just, like, devour, Devour their big Italian meals and their steak. Like, it's so satisfying to watch.

[E]

Yeah, yeah. And they were always trying to think of ways to have Dwight eating, because I think they saw that I fully committed kind of ravenously to the enterprise. I think my favorite food memory was the breakfast that I had with Jan when I was planning to the Krentist episode, when I was planning to overthrow Michael. And I had pancakes and eggs and toast and water. And then I cover the whole thing with syrup.

[A]

Now, that was your choice. That was not in the script, that you covered it all with syrup for a long time. Right. Or was it. We don't remember.

[E]

I think it was in the script. And I remember Paul Lieberstein talking to me about it, about the idea of, like, locking eyes with her and then just pouring syrup for far too long. But I don't think he insisted that I eat as much as I actually ate in the course of the scene. And I did dig in to those pancakes. I'll never forget that flavor. And I'm so glad I did. It was so much. It was so much fun. And I think Melora. I think it kind of blew her mind exactly how many pounds of pancakes I ate during that scene.

[A]

But what about the scene where Dwight is eating all of his, like, about to spoil food all of his.

[E]

Right, from, like, the fallout shelter, his survival shelter? Yeah. There were big cans, and I think they were supposed to be canned beets or something, but I think they put peaches in them. I just remember I was eating, like, syrupy canned goods.

[A]

Okay.

[E]

But again, I ate a lot of syrupy canned goods. And one of my favorite Dwight lines is like, I'm ravenous after a night of lovemaking. I forget what was on the table. I think in the scene you don't really see what I was eating, but I was just pounding french fries and hamburgers and I don't even know what. But I love that about Dwight's character, that he did not shirk committing to having full plates of food.

[A]

And then what about offset? Did you have a breakfast order from Sergio? Did you have a go to breakfast? Did you eat breakfast in the morning? Would you order breakfast?

[E]

Oh, yeah, I had breakfast. Sergio and his food truck, they were just otherworldly. They were magnificent. The food we got on the office set was. It was kind of ridiculous. The food that is on the set of a successful TV show, like season one of a TV show. It's kind of like some old tuna sandwiches and some hard boiled eggs and. And stuff like that. But then when you get to like season four or five and it's really profitable, like it's lobster rolls. And all I know is it involved turkey bacon, black beans, avocado. Yeah, I think that was it, but. And some eggs. I don't remember. I don't remember how I had the eggs, but I remember I really, truly, over the course of that show, I ate a hella lot of turkey bacon.

[A]

I ate a lot of turkey bacon. It's where I discovered turkey bacon.

[D]

Right.

[A]

I don't know who ordered it first, but it was so good, it's almost.

[E]

As good as bacon. And that's how they should advertise it.

[A]

I had real bacon today.

[E]

It looked good.

[A]

It was good.

[E]

Did you offer me any of your real bacon?

[A]

No. No?

[E]

Not even one bite? Not even one nibble.

[A]

Well, thank you, Rain.

[E]

I had a salad because I'm chubby and I need to raise.

[A]

Wilson, you are not chubby.

[E]

I'm a chubby guy. It's okay. I'm a middle aged man and this is. This is the cross that I bear.

[A]

Your metabolism is slowing.

[E]

It's slowing down.

[A]

It's happening to all age of us.

[E]

It's. Yep, yep. Y.

[A]

Thanks for do.

[E]

All right. Good luck with the episode. Love you, Jenna.

[A]

Love you. That was so fun.

[B]

You guys were just in your car.

[A]

In the back of my car.

[B]

What if like someone. I mean, that's the paparazzi moment. That didn't happen. Where it's like you and Rain in the backseat of your car.

[A]

Like, what are they doing Microphone.

[B]

That's awesome.

[A]

Well, what's funny about that, Angela, is that I recorded that with him, like, two days before that crazy, like, jumbotron Coldplay moment.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And then did you see after that happened, people started sending me pictures where they had made it into Pam and Dwight. And I was like, oh, my gosh. Rain and I were just in the back of a car two days ago.

[B]

I'm telling you, people went off because they made so many whatever meme things. Yeah, I mean, there's the one where, you know, when Phyllis discovers Dwight and Angela.

[A]

Yes, I saw that one. Did you see the Game of Thrones one with the Lannister brother and sister?

[B]

Yes, there was a lot. Oh, and you know what? Speaking of Rain's share about breakfast, I'm pretty sure the turkey bacon started with Rasheeda.

[A]

Oh, see, that's funny. Cause I thought maybe it started with John. That's where I got the idea. But we had similar call times. Saw it on his plate, and I was like, oh, I want that.

[B]

Well, that would make sense. Yeah.

[A]

Well, I don't know, lady, because you would be in at the same time as Rasheeda in the mornings.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So maybe Rasheeda started it.

[B]

It was either Rasheeda or John. Okay, well, we got to the bottom of that.

[A]

Wow, we're good.

[B]

Here's the thing. When Rain was talking, though, about our food and how lucky we were, I couldn't help but think of my dad and the time he came to set and my sisters asked him, what was it like being on the set of the Office. All he could talk about was the food.

[A]

It was kind of legendary, which is why we're doing a whole episode about it today.

[B]

Well, you guys, I reached out to Creed Bratton and asked him his memories about food on the set, and here's what he had to say.

[E]

Yes, there was the scene where everyone was throwing up in the office, and I was eating a bowl of noodles, I believe, with chopsticks and just enjoying the whole process, but didn't make me sick at all. Sergio. Yeah, Sergio was great toward the end. I basically ate at lunch, just piece of chicken and some broccoli. In the morning, I'd have egg whites and sausage and a piece of toast. I think John was a big fan of the. The. Just the chicken and the broccoli, too. You'd have to ask him, but I. I recall a few times noticing that he was eating the same thing and dueling chicken, as it were. All right, love you girls. Bye.

[A]

That's very funny. John would put broccoli in his egg whites in the morning, and it was stinky.

[B]

So stinky. He would stink up the whole trailer.

[A]

Yeah, but this is also reminding me of all the egg whites people ate like people. We had a big, like, egg white trend in the mornings. What did they do with all the yolks? Where did all the egg yolks go?

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

Did we just have a giant bucket of yolks?

[B]

I don't know if we should ask Sergio that.

[A]

I wish we would have asked him.

[B]

I know.

[A]

What do you do with all the yolks?

[B]

What do you do with all the yolks? Well, you know, Creed, Spoiler alert.

[A]

We already spoke to Sergio, and we failed to ask him about the yolks. Maybe next time.

[B]

Next time. Well, you know Creed's favorite food memory from his time on the Office? The noodles is the noodles one. And he's talking about that famous barfing scene in Niagara, you know, but, lady, did you know that that scene has a name online?

[A]

What's it called?

[B]

The boiled egg vomiting chain. What? Isn't that so funny? Yes. Yeah. But I love that Creed shared that one, and that's the one that stood out to him. So we've got something fun coming up next in this food episode. It's the real gym that I found in the bonus content. For those of you that have the DVDs, it is disc two, season three. Lady, do you want to guess who had a cooking show at Dunder Mifflin or who tried to have a cooking show?

[A]

If I had to guess, I would say maybe Michael.

[B]

Good guess.

[A]

Or maybe Kevin.

[B]

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. Kevin. It is Kevin. Are you ready for the name of this cooking show?

[A]

Okay.

[B]

It's simple. It's to the point. His show is called Kevin Cooks Stuff.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I'm watching that show.

[A]

I'm dying to know what he cooked.

[B]

So this whole bit is about five minutes. I'm going to share a little bit of it. It starts in the kitchen, and he keeps getting interrupted. Let's hear it.

[F]

Welcome to Kevin Cooks Stuff in the Office. I am your host, Kevin. Okay, so sometimes my fiance, Stacy, she forgets to pack me lunch. What do I do? I have to cook things in the office. And trust me, it is not as bad as it.

[E]

Hey.

[A]

What?

[F]

I'm doing my cooking show, Dinghy, and I'm going to the bathroom. Okay, so this. This is our main cooking area. We have a toaster and a microwave. We used to have a blender as well, but we're pretty sure that Meredith stole it and. Hey, Stanley, what am I supposed to do? You're supposed to wait until I'm finished.

[D]

I don't think so.

[F]

Did you wash your hands, Stanley? I bet you didn't. Okay, we will gather ingredients at the vending machines. Or as I like to call them, the supermarket that only takes quarters.

[B]

Okay, so now he goes to the break room. To the supermarket.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And he is going to gather ingredients to make some recipes out of stuff.

[A]

From the vending machine.

[B]

Yeah, quesadillas and creme brulee. Lady, I brought in stuff to make Kevin's quesadillas. You're going to hear the recipe. Okay.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

We're gonna make it on our break.

[A]

What is it? Well, I just want to eat Josh's granola.

[B]

Well, sorry. You're also gonna have Kevin's quesadillas. Let's hear how he makes them.

[F]

First, for the quesadillas, all you need is chips and squeezy cheese. This I usually I keep in my desk drawer, so nobody steals it. It's very important that you get a lot of cheese on there. You can make designs if you wish. Circles, flowers. And then you take another chip, and bam. Quesadilla a la Kevin. Take the plate and you put it in the microwave for 10 to 15 minutes. Seconds. And take them out when they look melty. Oh, it's so good.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. He ate it in real time.

[B]

Yes. So, Brian, as Kevin ate it. I mean, there's no cutaway.

[A]

I was fine. I used to eat Cheez Whiz on top of Triscuits. This was like one of my go to college snacks. Like, I couldn't get enough of it. I've never heated it.

[B]

Well, I brought them, and we're gonna try it.

[A]

Oh, dear God.

[B]

So I got just sort of like, the big waffle chip, and then I got Cheez Whiz. And we're gonna put it in the microwave, but we're not gonna do it on Mike. But we are gonna try it. We have to try it. All right, well, next up is Kevin's dessert, as he said he's gonna make creme brulee. What he does is he takes a pudding and it's in, like, a metal can, and then he opens that.

[A]

Metal.

[B]

Yeah. Oh, it's like in a metal can. I don't know. He said it's pudding in a can. I've never seen it in a can.

[A]

Okay, go ahead.

[B]

And then he opens a bunch of sugar packets, and he just Dumps them all on top of that pudding.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Then he's very careful to tell you to take the label off the metal can. Cause then you're gonna put the metal can in the toaster oven and let it bake. And he says he's gonna leave it there for a bit and he'll check back in. And then he goes over to his desk in accounting. So we've already learned that he keeps cheese Whiz, like, in his desk drawer. Okay, but lady, you know that cabinet that's next to Kevin's desk? So, like, if you're Kevin sitting at the desk to the left of you by the window, there's always been a big cabinet there. We've never opened it. We've never shown what's in it. Well, Kevin's going to share with you what's in that cabinet for the first time. Oh, let's hear it.

[F]

Another thing that I make for myself at the office is beer. The rules specifically say that you cannot bring beer into work. But it says nothing about money making beer at work. Genius, huh?

[D]

That's disgusting.

[A]

Put that away.

[F]

You're just jealous of my beer.

[A]

Of your bacteria filled yeast water?

[E]

I don't think so.

[F]

Well, then, Oscar, you may not have any.

[A]

I don't want any.

[E]

Something burning?

[A]

Oh, it's the creme brulee.

[B]

Yes. So, yep, he has burned the creme brulee. But he says, you know what? It's okay. I can just make it again. And then he ends his cooking video with his sign off message, and I think you should hear it.

[F]

See you next time on Kevin Cooks Stuff in the Office, where I will show you how to use ramen seasoning packets to make instant mashed potatoes even yummier.

[A]

Huh?

[B]

How about that ramen noodle seasoning in your mashed potatoes? I'm curious. I did not bring that in.

[A]

Well, let's go eat some weird quesadilla and then we'll be back in a moment. All right. Angela, I believe you have a mattress endorsement to tell us about.

[B]

I do. You guys, we got a Leesa mattress. L E, E, S A. And we got the legend Chill Hybrid mattress. Jenna, listen to this.

[A]

Okay?

[B]

Not only is it cushiony, but it is cool. Cool, lady. It has this billowy quilt top. It's infused with phase change fibers that quickly pull the heat away from your body, cooling you off.

[A]

Lady, as you're saying that, I'm getting the feeling in my body like you get when you, like, you have a crush on someone. I'm like oh, tell me more about this cooling sleep.

[B]

Go to Lisa.com for 20% off mattresses plus get an extra $50 off with promo code OfficeLadies exclusive for our listeners. That's L E-E-S-A.com promo code OfficeLadies for 20% off mattresses plus an extra $50 off. Be sure to enter our show name after checkout so they know we sent you Lisa.com promo code OfficeLadies what does a confident smile say to you?

[A]

And maybe more importantly, what does it.

[B]

Say about you with Smile Generation? It says you're taking care of more than just your teeth.

[A]

Because confidence doesn't start and stop at a bright smile. It's about your whole body wellness.

[B]

Smile Generation reimagines oral health as the gateway to long term confidence. Why? Because oral health issues have been linked to heart disease, diabetes and even cognitive conditions. When you care for your smile, you're investing in your future and that confidence. It starts with feeling supported. With Smile Generation trusted providers, you're not just another patient, you're a partner.

[A]

They prioritize personal, patient focused care that truly listens to you. Plus, with education and preventive care at the core, Smile Generation empowers you to understand the connection between your mouth and your overall health so you can stop issues before they start.

[B]

Here's your chance to take the first step. Smile Generation is offering a $59 new patient special that's a comprehensive exam, cleaning and x rays a $290 value.

[A]

New patients only offer not valid for Tricare or Medicare Advantage may be be covered by insurance subject to plan restrictions.

[B]

Book by December 31, 2025.

[A]

Visit smilegeneration.com officeladies for full terms and to book now. There is nothing worse than not having the tools to make impactful work. For me that is usually due to my lack of technical know how. I don't know how to do all the snazzy stuff, but Canva can make that a lot easier. You can put all your workflow in one place starting with the presentation. Then you could like add in a whiteboard. You could drop in a video. You don't have to jump between programs and tabs. You can also invite your team to collaborate on any design. So rather than like having to chase people down with multiple email threads, you can have real time collaboration. You can share ideas and visualize projects. You can get their input right way. So whether you work in a team of two like me and Angela or a team of 2000, Canva lets you bring your big ideas to life as fast as you can think of them. Put imagination to [e-mail]. well, we're back. And we ate Kevin's quesadilla.

[B]

We did. We filmed it. We'll put it in stories. Cassie smartly opted not to try Kevin's quesadilla, but Sam, me, and Jenna did.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Sam, you went first. What were your thoughts?

[C]

It took a minute for that cheese taste to kick in, but once it did, it was there.

[D]

It is strong.

[A]

It was there. Yeah. Mine had cooled a little, and so I bit into what really felt like kind of a. It did not have the texture of food. It was very sort of like a plastic. Cause I think the cheese had warmed and then congealed and congealed a little bit.

[B]

Yeah. Mine was at first salty, and I'm like, hey, I like a little salty snack. And then the cheese came at me hard, and it kind of made my eyes water.

[A]

I do not recommend.

[B]

Not a fan.

[A]

Not a snack. I would encourage others to eat.

[B]

Not a fan. Kevin. I do want to tell you guys, when I was at the grocery store looking for Cheez Whiz, I asked this young gal that worked there, and she had no idea what I was talking about. Oh, had never heard of Cheez Whiz.

[A]

I think that's good. Well, I think that's good for our youth.

[B]

I also want you to know the Cheez Whiz I bought was made, it said, with real cheese. Okay. So you're welcome.

[A]

Thank you. All right.

[B]

Well, thank you, everyone, for participating in Kevin Cooks stuff and today's recipe quesadillas.

[A]

I would like to request that we not ever try the creme brulee, if that's okay with you.

[B]

That's fine with me.

[A]

Well, are you ready now to hear the episode that was never produced, but that was titled Lunch the Nooner. Do you know what a nooner is?

[B]

I do know what a nooner is. Please tell me. It's Bob and Phyllis.

[A]

It is not good. Guess this was a really fun pitch because it is. Jan and Michael have a nooner.

[B]

Not at work.

[A]

Not at work. Okay, so this is an episode that would have happened in season three.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

And it would have all started when Michael announces that he's leaving for an important lunch meeting with Jan. And he says, he announces, so everyone's on their own for lunch. And then it said, someone remarks, we are always on our own for lunch.

[B]

Right. What's the big announcement for? What are you up to?

[A]

But nonetheless, people start making lunch plans. And it would have been a really cool episode because we would have seen little lunch routines and little stories coming up. So for example, Pam, Karen, Phyllis and Kelly were all gonna sit around in the break room and have lunch. Kelly was gonna be on a cleanse and she won't stop talking about it.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So then in our next lunch pairing, we find out that Oscar owes Kevin a lunch.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

And Kevin gets to decide where he wants to go. And he wants to go to this new place that he heard about that's supposed to have awesome pastrami sandwiches. So they head out together. And in their storyline, what would have happened was when they get to this place, it's actually kind of like a romantic restaurant.

[B]

So it's not just like Ye Olde sandwich shop.

[A]

No, no. And it's like cloth tablecloths and cloth napkins. A very formal lunch. And they're a little uncomfortable, but they end up bonding. So it's like a happy story. Guess what Stanley does for lunch?

[B]

Stanley takes a nap.

[A]

Yes, lady. He drives around the corner, parks his car, eats a sandwich and then falls asleep. You're so right. Dwight and Angela have a lunch date.

[D]

Aw.

[B]

But then, uh, oh.

[A]

Dwight's friends were gonna come to work and surprise him and take him to lunch. But the real surprise is that they have brought along his girlfriend who is back from her 18 month tour of Kuwait. Do you remember this was like very early season storyline that Dwight had this girlfriend who was active duty, military in Kuwait? Well, she's back apparently.

[B]

Whoa.

[A]

I know. And apparently Dwight has not spoken to her since she left and hasn't told.

[B]

Angela that they're still dating.

[A]

I mean, that's the thing. Are they still dating? We don't know. So Dwight goes off to lunch at Cooper's and Angela has to stay behind. So now Angela folds into the group of women I see in the break room.

[B]

Probably not in a great mood.

[A]

So next up we have Karen, who the pitch says is trying to be more like Pam and be more fun with Jim. So she's going to suggest that she and Jim go out to the same restaurant and spy on Dwight and his date. So they do. They go to the restaurant and they try to very discreetly sit at a different table and eavesdrop. But this gal sees them and is like, oh my gosh, why don't you come join us? So now Karen and Jim are having a double date with Dwight and his military girlfriend. Yes, exactly. And listen to how she was described. Angela. This was going to be a lot of drama for Dwight and Angela. She's described as being outgoing, athletic, outdoorsy, a little offbeat, but still normal, tough, but still feminine. She's telling Dwight worst stories, and he is in awe of her. Jim and Karen can't believe what a great match it is.

[B]

I mean, it sounds perfect.

[A]

Well, the ladies are going to go to the bathroom, and Dwight is going to turn to Jim and ask for relationship advice. Because, you know, who Dwight really wants to be with is Angela. So this was going to kind of start a runner where Jim was going to be, like, counseling Dwight on relationships. Meanwhile, back at the office, the rest of the women continue to have lunch, but they have not included Meredith.

[B]

Why not?

[A]

She's not invited to eat with them. Oh, yes. She is forced to eat alone with Andy.

[B]

I will say, it doesn't sound like Angela was invited either. She just showed up.

[A]

Yeah, she shows up at the table, and it says she's distracted and grouchy. But guess what? Andy and Meredith start to bond. They realize they both have problems that they're trying to get over. They both feel like outcasts, and they start giving each other life advice that.

[B]

I would have wanted to see.

[A]

Mm. I love this pairing of Andy and Meredith. Right. Well, during all of this, remember, this all started because Michael was gonna go have lunch with Jan. There were going to be spy shots where we see that Michael actually drives to meet Jan at a Howard Johnson's.

[B]

A motel, in the afternoon.

[A]

That's the nooner. And they are going to come down from the hotel room. They're in a great mood. They actually do have lunch at the little attached diner. And through a series of spy shots, we were going to see their conversation. And it's not great. It said, there's a sampling of Jan's quote, increasing craziness. And for a long, long beat, there's no conversation at all. And they just eat in silence. Michael was gonna float the idea of breaking up, but Jan distracts him by suggesting they go back up to the hotel room for another quickie. And ultimately, Michael's gonna come back to the office and say he and Jan are doing great. It was a great meeting.

[B]

This makes me sad.

[A]

I know. This is sort of like foreshadowing for dinner party.

[B]

So much foreshadowing.

[A]

Well, that was the pitch for lunch the nooner. Can you guess what the tag was going to be for this episode? You guessed Stanley sleeping in his car. There's gonna be another moment in a car.

[B]

Oh, Lord. Is it like Andy getting a hand job from Meredith?

[A]

Yes. What it was that Andy and Meredith have sex in her car. That was the tag.

[B]

I had no idea. I just completely threw that out there. Mm. Wow. Well, lunch episode would have packed some surprises.

[A]

Yes. Pretty fun. Well, speaking of lunch, I want to hear this segue. You know, before the break, we talked a lot about the food in the world of the Office, the stuff we had to eat in scenes, but there was a whole other world behind the scenes. Our amazing catering and craft service.

[B]

Yes, they were wonderful. There's part of our book, the office BFFs, where we share about craft service and catering and, like, what meals look like on the set, and I'm so glad it's there. Craft services and Peter and Vartan and Sergio and catering and his team were such a big part of our community on the Office. We wrote about it in our book, the office BFFs, and we both have really special memories, as does the whole cast and crew of Mealtime on the Office.

[A]

Well, I just can't say enough about how these two teams kept our set going. You know, we were stuck. We can't go out for food or snacks. We're totally dependent on these teams. And I just. I was thinking back on all the ways that they would take care of us. Like, little things, like if we were shooting someplace outside and we were cold, you know, Peter and Vartan would put out hot soup to warm us up, you know, and all the care that Sergio took in our meals, even making.

[B]

Special meals when our kids came to set. And, I mean, Jenna, I don't know how we would have gotten through our pregnancies without Peter and Vartan.

[A]

I know.

[B]

They really fed us and nurtured us. And, you know, I found a journal entry where I wrote about Peter and Vartan.

[A]

Oh, are you gonna read it?

[B]

Yeah, I'm gonna read it. Okay, great. It's a real short little entry, but it just speaks to how they took care of us. So at the top, it says, July 21, 2011, 4:02pm you know, I always say what time it is. And I wrote, I had the day off from work today, but I had to go in for a wardrobe fitting. I brought Isabel with me. After my fitting, we had lunch on set, and Peter and Vartan were so sweet. They brought Isabel a special snack. Cupcakes and a smoothie.

[D]

Aw.

[B]

We had such a fun day.

[A]

I love that lady.

[B]

Isn't that so cute?

[A]

Well, lady, I don't think there is anyone on our set who loved our food more than BJ Novak.

[B]

BJ is like a foodie, like, for real. He's A foodie. He has a whole business now called Eat a Chain.

[A]

I know, right? And it's like, Michelin star chefs.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Turn your fast food favorites into, like, these elevated meals. Right.

[B]

And they're delicious.

[A]

I went to the Chili's.

[B]

One, I've been to two now. One I took the kids with. They had a popup of all these different types of food chains. Delicious.

[A]

So good.

[B]

So good.

[A]

Well, he invited our catering craft service teams to be on the DVD commentary track for season five. Business ethics.

[B]

I remember.

[A]

So I reached out to him and, lady, I don't know if he's ever responded to me faster.

[B]

He is so excited about food. I remember when I came across that commentary years ago and I texted him, he was like, no way. Where can I find it? He was so excited that it still lived somewhere.

[A]

Yeah. Well, he sent in an audio clip. He has some advice for people who might be new to a set.

[B]

Oh, I can't wait to hear this.

[A]

How to get the best stuff.

[G]

If I have any advice in show business, I have one piece of advice that I'm 100% sure of that I tell everyone, which is that if you want coffee on a set, get it from craft services, not catering. When you arrive in the morning, there's going to be a truck that has all types of great food, and they're going to have coffee on that truck. Do not get the coffee from the truck because they make coffee as an afterthought. Then there's craft services, which make snacks and all that stuff, but coffee is what they do. That's what they're judged on. Go the extra 20ft. Get your coffee from craft services, not catering. Catering is great, but coffee is not their thing. It's not their focus, nor should it be ladies.

[A]

Do you hear the passion in his voice? Like, he is literally telling people where to get coffee on a set. The way I beg people to go get their cancer screenings. That cracked me up.

[B]

The absolute, like, seriousness.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And he's right.

[A]

He is right.

[B]

I don't drink coffee, as you know, But I know craft services. They are sort of connoisseurs of, like, beverages. And they do smoothies, they do coffee, they do hot cocoa. I mean, they have a gazillion types of teas. Like, they are where you go for beverage.

[A]

Correct. He also talked a little bit about the food in the writer's room, which is not provided by craft services or catering.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

They have their own writer's assistant who has to manage food for the writers. And, you know, this is because their hours would. Sometimes they didn't coordinate with our hours. Like, they would be there writing until like, 10pm or midnight.

[B]

And then they also don't come in till 10am sometimes.

[A]

Yes. So they kind of had their whole own food situation. And here's what he had to say about that.

[G]

Snacks are. It's like when you're a babysitter. It's all about what the people's cabinets have, what snacks they have. And same for a writer's room. It's what snacks are there. And we went through periods where we had every snack in the world. It was turkey jerky from Trader Joe's was the favorite snack, but it was all of these terribly salty Trader Joe's snacks. And then every now and then, we get disgusted with ourselves. We'd gain a lot of weight, and we would ban all unhealthy foods from the writer's room and put them in the fridge and freezer by set. So you could get an ice cream cone, but you had to walk to the freezer in the other trailer. And then we would slip. It would just be a cycle.

[B]

So this is exactly how I remember the writer's room snacks, too, because I remember they had this back stairwell that went up to their kitchen, and sometimes we went up that way, and it would be either feast or famine in there. It would either be like, seriously, every type of, like, Little Debbie cupcake or whatever to then just like, nothing. Nothing are just like a rice cake.

[A]

Yes, I know. They did go through a whole, like, rice cake phase.

[B]

Yeah. And then when they were going through that phase, that's when they got, like, a treadmill, remember? But yeah, there was a real yo yo effect with their snacks.

[A]

Well, you know our first ad, Kelly Cantley, I was texting with her, and I said, hey, we're gonna talk to Sergio for this food episode. I'm curious, like, what's your breakfast order? Well, lady, she gave me the scoop on her breakfast order. And also, Sergio's doing something new. She said that on the office, her breakfast order was either a baby burrito with bacon and no salsa or one scrambled egg with a side of black beans and avocado. Black beans and avocado. It's big on our set. But she said on the paper, Sergio has updated all the things that she likes and now serves breakfast as a mini taco. I mean, yeah, he takes one tater tot and he smashes it in the bottom of each mini taco, and then he'll put whatever your breakfast order is inside she said, it's genius.

[B]

Sign me up. You had me at Smash Tater Tot.

[A]

She said if he had a taco stand or a restaurant, I would go every day.

[B]

Oh, my gosh, that sounds so good. Well, you know, I was trading text with Sergio about being on the podcast. Talk about someone who responded right away with such enthusiasm. Much like bj, he could not wait to talk to us. He's such a lovely person, and we had so much fun going down memory lane with him.

[A]

We did. We zoomed with him the other day, and we can't wait for you to hear our chat with him. So here is our chat with Sergio.

[B]

Hello, Sergio.

[A]

Hi, there. Thank you for coming on the podcast.

[D]

Oh, I love the podcast, by the way. You all have nice voices, so it's soothing to the ear, it's funny, and there's a lot of fun.

[B]

Oh, thanks, Sergio.

[A]

It was so nice seeing you when we visited the paper.

[D]

I know. I like that. That was such a surprise. We were slammed for breakfast, but it was nice seeing you guys. And then also being on that show, you know, kind of like, you know, having some of the crew members from the office and, you know, Oscar, it was awesome doing that show too. It just brings a lot of memories of what we had in the office, you know?

[B]

Well, Sergio, you are so loved. I have noticed pretty much every time I'm on a set where Mindy's running the show, you're there. Like, the office family loves you, and they always want to work with you.

[D]

Yeah, no, I appreciate that. It's been amazing being part of. Of the Office, you know, because we had a lot of great times. Right. It was such a amazing time. And for me, as a cook and cooking for y', all, it was special.

[A]

You know, you mentioned breakfast, and Kelly shared with us that you have started doing mini tacos for breakfast. She said you took her breakfast order and put it in a tiny taco, and she said she can't get enough of it.

[D]

Yeah. Kelly. It was awesome working with Kelly. And, yeah, she has, like, little orders, small orders. Kind of like Angela when Angela used to order her little Angela size.

[B]

Yeah. ANGIE sighs.

[D]

Yeah, that was fun.

[B]

So, Sergio, you have been in this food business for so long. How do you keep coming up with new ideas and new recipes? We're so curious how you put a menu together for the week.

[D]

Well, when I started the office, it was hard because there was no iPhone. Right. And I had to go through the cookbooks, you know, and just get the ideas from there and the feedback from the crew that's kind of like what you work with, like, are they like this or, you know, we're going that direction. But, yeah, it got easier when the iPhone came around, you know, so it was just a lot easier. But, yeah, it was through crew members, what they like and all that. So.

[B]

So I have to ask you, you know, you're. You're using word of mouth about what's a hit, what's not. Was there a recipe you ever did that people were like, don't do that one again. Or was there one where everyone was like, you have to do that one again? Like, what are. What are your hits and your. Your. Your misses?

[D]

They never really tell you, like, oh, that wasn't good. You know, I never. I only got that once, and that was the Teamsters in New York, you know, one time, but only, like, as a family. Like, they really liked me a lot, and they told me, hey, we love you. But that last meal, you know, that's the only time they told me. But it was the Teamsters in New York, you know, but other than that, with the office and all that, everybody was so nice. It was beautiful.

[B]

Well, your food is amazing. That's why I couldn't believe anyone would ever tell you this was a miss. But, you know, Jen and I both had so many meals that we loved. What was your most requested meal?

[D]

Most requested meal? It's the action stations, you know, like the pasta bars, the taco bars. The crew always love that. The action station. So every time we had, like, a fun station and, you know, especially the pasta bar and the taco bar, those are always a hit.

[A]

Well, I remember your pasta bar. I was a fan, and you would have, like, all the different pastas and all the different ingredients and then different sauces, and it was kind of like an omelet bar. You just walk up and point to all the things you wanted, and you guys would make it right there on the spot. Yeah, it was so great.

[D]

It was fun. I. I try and have it. So when. Like, also when. When Isabella, when she was young, she used to just eat plain pasta, right? Yeah, that was her. Her go to. So, you know, it reminds me of that, too. When Isabella was young, coming to set.

[B]

You were so sweet with her. You would always set aside a little buttered noodles dish for her. You took such good care of all of us in that way.

[D]

You know, we grew into a family there, and there's nothing like that, you know, ever going to happen again, I don't think. Once in a lifetime.

[A]

Another thing Sergio, is that you were able to like, make a meal that was good for the people who were dairy free and gluten free and vegetarian. And you would have a meat option, but then you would have also a fish option. How do you do it? And also at breakfast. I never heard anybody order breakfast and you didn't have whatever the thing was. Like, this is a silly question, but where do you keep all this food? And who does the grocery shopping? How do you do this?

[D]

Yeah, so. So when, when it started, you know, season one, it. The mise en place for breakfast was a little bit small, but as the, the show grew in the. Into the years, you know, like by the third season, you know, same crew members, the cast, and. And so everybody had their little, you know, little specialty. So I, I had to make sure I had this. Had to make sure I had goat cheese because a couple orders, you know, and it grew. The mise en place for breakfast, it grew, like more and more as the years went on by. By the ninth season, I had a lot of stuff in the fridge.

[A]

I bet.

[B]

I bet you did.

[A]

I mean, I feel like there were people who were like, I want my breakfast order, but will you throw some, like, hot peppers on it today? And you'd say, sure, yeah, yeah.

[D]

No, y. Especially I had to have the Rashida special. That one was a hit, right? Remember the Rashida special? That one was such a hit. So I had to have black beans. I had to have, you know, turkey bacon. Every day. Every day and all that, because corn tortillas, the green salsa, you know.

[B]

Yeah, that one really took off.

[D]

Yeah, that took off. That took off that for. For a while too.

[B]

But you know, Sergio, I was so curious. I've always wanted to ask you this. How did you start as a chef? What was your journey to doing this?

[D]

So I started, you know, this catering company as a dishwasher at 18. And then I moved up, moved up the ranks. And then they gave me a shot. The catering company I was at, they gave me a shot as a chef kind of young, like at 24. And I was like chefing commercials. That's all I was doing. So I had like five day recipes. That's all I needed for commercials. And so then I got the call to do the Office. So the Office was my first show and like full on five days a week, months, you know. So I was real nervous. Like I was nervous on the first day and then the second day, the craft service, then it was another craft. It wasn't. It wasn't Peter and Rothbank. But that craft service told me on the second day they were talking about, you know, and I was, like, real horrified that they were like, something bad. Yeah. And it was good news, right? He says they were talking good about your food. And that gave me the confidence to try hard and all that. And it was such a nice crew that it was easy to do. But I learned a lot through the Office, you know, through the casting crew. I learned a lot, like, you know, like through the cooking and took it, Took it with me to the other shows. But, yeah, office was my school.

[A]

How much did you coordinate with Michael and Vartan? Because they would bring out, like a certain hot snack every day at 10 o'. Clock. And did you guys talk, like, were you sure to be like, okay, if they're doing a hot dog bar, I'm not going to do hot dogs at lunch?

[D]

We did, we tried, but for some reason, we still always ended up doing the same thing. You know, just kind of, you know, like, oh, you're doing that. So. But.

[A]

Oh, that's so funny. I don't have that memory at all. Yeah, it was like, somehow you guys never managed to double up in my mind.

[D]

Okay, that's good because, yeah, Peter and my friend used to. We don't, like, we come up with something. I said, oh, I'm doing that today.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

They were so much fun, those two guys, man. I love them and I miss them.

[B]

Yeah, same. You know, Sergio, I'm so curious too, because you are planning meals all the time and huge meals, too. Do you plan any meals at home? Are you just, like, once you're home, you are done meal planning?

[D]

No, I. I do. I actually cook for my. For my boys on the weekend. I see them on the weekend. So we do. Every weekend we. I do a dinner and we watch movies and at home, I like to cook here, too. It's a lot funner and, you know, get to experience new stuff. I like cooking at home, except when I'm working. If I'm working, then you know, only that Saturday is the only day I'll cook.

[B]

Oh, that's fair, I think.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Well, you know, I love your food so much that when I worked on the office, I would go through the lunch line and I would pick something for lunch, and then I would wait for everybody to eat. And then as y' all would start to kind of pack up stuff, like lunch was over, I would go through and I would get one of your to go containers and I would pick something and that's what I would Eat for dinner?

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

Oh, that's nice.

[A]

So I would eat your food twice a day for all those years on the office. Thank you so much.

[D]

Wow. I appreciate that, Jenna.

[A]

Thank you.

[D]

Yeah. That's awesome.

[B]

There was many times we were taking food home.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Sergio, do you have a favorite food memory from the office or a behind the scenes memory? It doesn't have to be food related, just from your time on the show.

[D]

Yeah, it's my most memorable one. It was kind of a sad one, but it was Steve Carell's last day, and we went to the warehouse and he did that beautiful speech. And. And then we took the time to talk to every, like, department, you know, and I'll never forget it. It's like, you know, there wasn't a dry eye in the room. Everybody was. It was the most memorable one that I'll never forget.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Have you run into Steve since the Office wrapped?

[D]

Yes, yes. So when Bartan passed away, I found out, you know, about it through Debbie and me. Alan and Debbie went, and we were right there at the. At the funeral. And then it was, you know, us three and in walks Steve Carell, and it was like it was us four right there. And that's, you know, that's a beautiful moment. We got to, you know, talk with Steve Carell about the office and what was the last time I saw him. I also saw him on Space Force, but that the last time was, I believe.

[B]

Yeah, I know. Several people have always asked us about the different menus on the show and what our favorite meal was. And you know, Sergio, my favorite was anything with your salsa. I've talked about that a lot. But, Sergio, do you actually have a favorite dish for yourself? Like, what is your favorite? Go to snack for a snack.

[D]

I like the chico stick.

[B]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[D]

That's the one I like. I just can't resist it when I see that it's not everywhere, but when it's there, I grab one, you know. But for food, it's tacos. You know, I gotta say tacos with salsa and all that stuff. I love tacos.

[B]

I also remember your dessert bar. You talk about action stations, but one time you had like a make your own Sunday bar, and it was like, amazing.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

And it was like one of the more summer months. And I just remember how good that bowl of ice cream and I got to put all my toppings on it. But was there a standout dessert that people loved?

[D]

The cookie cake. Yes, cookie cake. That one. That one was a must. Every day, actually, with ice Cream.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

So it was on. You know, it's on a hot shafer. So it's hot. Nice and. Nice and soft and.

[B]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[D]

That one's still a hit. But that was. That's the one that. For sure. Because it wasn't there at the beginning. It got there around, I think, season five or something. So once it got there, it was. We couldn't take it out no more.

[A]

It had, like, this crusty. Like, I always wanted an edge piece because it would get nice and crispy around the edge. And that was Steve's favorite dessert. Steve and I would often meet at the warm chocolate chip cookie dish at the end of lunch, and we would kind of laugh. We'd be like, here we are again. So we meet again over a warm chocolate chip cookie dessert. I loved it.

[D]

And also back there in stage three, right. We.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

Where y'. All. That was so special because all the cast was. You know, Steve ate there, everybody ate there. The crew. And then decisions were made. Their birthday party celebrated there. I mean, I love that stage, and I'll never forget it, you know?

[B]

Yeah. I loved it when they would. The stage was like, picture sort of for people listening, like a big aircraft hangar. And they would open this giant door, and then they would have these long tables, and Sergio would be set up, you know, right outside that door. And we'd be going through the food line, and you'd have your food stations, and there was this sort of open air, long tables, very communal kind of eating and gathering. And you would see people from different departments. You know, you didn't feel isolated. Like, oh, we just do this one thing and we don't interact with everybody was, like, mixing and mingling and talking and asking about each other's kids or, you know, do you have a trip planned? And it was just a wonderful big gathering every day.

[A]

It was also a great time to, like, meet crew members, families, because families would come up during lunch and visit. It was that way that, like, food brings you together, you know?

[D]

Yes. And it doesn't happen anymore like that in any crew. I mean, it really doesn't. You know, the. The people in the trailers now. And, you know, it doesn't happen anymore. I mean, where everybody. The writers, everybody is there and it's just mingling. That's my favorite moment there at stage three. You know, it's just seeing everybody there. That's right. You know, family members, kids, all that stuff, you know, it's cool. Was cool.

[B]

I think I didn't realize how special that was until I Went to work on other projects and it is sort of like people just kind of grab their food and go. And I'm so thankful we had that. It kind of felt like Thanksgiving gathering every day.

[D]

Every day.

[A]

It did.

[D]

Yes.

[A]

Sergio, this was so wonderful.

[D]

Yeah. Awesome. Sorry, I'm a little nervous, but yeah.

[B]

Oh, you're doing great.

[D]

Thank you.

[A]

You didn't seem nervous at all.

[B]

No, not at all. Was there anything we missed, Sergio? Anything you want to share that we didn't cover?

[D]

It's nice going back to memory lane and. And, you know, like, last night I saw the last episode and I cried, you know, like, because we were talking about it and I said, let me watch the last episode. Like, you know, last night I haven't watched in a minute. It was nice, you know, because it was so real, you know, like the real reactions, everything. I just saw it last night, that's why. And so, you know, it's nice to come back to memory Link.

[A]

Would you watch the show when it was on, Sergio? Did you guys watch it each week?

[D]

I started watching it around season three and then. Yeah, during. When we were working. And then I'm about to do a rewatch too, though with you guys soon because seeing yesterday's episode made me wanna. You know what? I'm gonna start this up again. You know, I own them all.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

To be nice and doing that through the Office League is awesome.

[B]

Oh, thanks, Sergio. Yeah, we've really loved rewatching the show. It's been so much fun and plus just the joy of us getting to reach out and reconnect with so many people who are so special to us. Like you.

[D]

Thank you. Thank you. You're special to me too. Everybody is on the Office.

[A]

Thank you, Sergio.

[B]

Love Sergio.

[D]

Thank you. Thank you so much. Love you too.

[B]

I think you can just hear in Sergio's voice how special the Office was to him and cooking and caring for people.

[A]

Yeah. We were such a community. And when the three of us were talking, I feel like you can see how there were not these, like distinct clicks of we all blended together.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, like he said, looking out on all of us eating cast, crew, family, producers, writers.

[B]

Yeah. Well, I thought before we go, you guys, we should hear two of these fakey PSAs that NBC had. You guys. Do they live on the DVDs and bonus content? John did two that were food related.

[A]

Oh.

[B]

One is titled Jelly Beans and the other is titled Saltines. Let's hear them.

[C]

After a well balanced meal or for a well deserved snack after school, you might want to grab a handful of jelly beans. Don't eat the black jelly beans. They taste disgusting. It's just my opinion, but it's true.

[B]

Do you like dark licorice?

[A]

I do not. I like red licorice. My mom calls it liquish.

[B]

Does she really?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That's so cute.

[A]

She says, do you want some liquish?

[B]

That's adorable.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Oh, that's like when my mom calls and says, do you want a Facebook? But she means facetime. All right, and here's the other one titled Saltine.

[C]

When you're sitting around with a group of friends just looking for a way to fit in, eating six saltines in under a minute may sound like a lot of fun, but it's also really dangerous. So please eat crackers responsibly.

[A]

These are great. So cute.

[B]

And he's so, like, sincere.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Well, you guys, that was all things food on the Office. We can't thank you enough for listening, and, of course, a huge thank you to Creed and Rain and BJ and.

[A]

Sergio and to Josh for coming in and kicking this episode off with us. Everyone go get Josh and Angela's cookbook. You can make this. It is on shelves right now.

[B]

Aw, thanks, you guys. Have a good one.

[A]

Thank you for listening to Office Ladies.

[B]

Office Ladies is a presentation of Odyssey and is produced by Jenna Fisher and Angela Kinsey.

[A]

Our executive producer is Cassie Jerkins, our audio engineer is Sam Kiefer, and our associate producer is Ainslie Bubaco.

[B]

Odyssey executive producer is Leah Rees Dennis.

[A]

Office Ladies was mixed and mastered by Bill Schultz.

[B]

Our theme song is Rubber Tree by Creed Bratton. We want to talk to you guys a little bit about new Eggo protein waffles. And it's really good, tastes great. Plus, it's gonna give you 20% of your daily protein.

[A]

Yes. Eggo protein plus waffles provide the same great taste of Eggo that you know and love, plus 10 grams of protein per serving. I made the new Eggo protein waffles for my kids the other day. They didn't even know that they were protein waffles. They're just the Eggo waffles that you know and love. I know they have protein.

[B]

They're just yummy waffles.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

I mean, listen, I know we're talking about breakfasts, but I have shared this before. I like them as an afternoon treat. And when your teenagers come home hungry, guess what's real easy to give them? A little protein waffle.

[A]

They say you can fuel your morning, but you can also fuel your afternoon sure can. Head to your local grocery store to fuel your morning with Eggo protein waffles and pancakes available at retailers nationwide.

[B]

We want to talk to you guys a little bit about new Eggo protein waffles. It's really good, tastes great. Plus it's going to give you 20% of your daily protein.

[A]

Yes. Eggo Protein Plus Waffles provide the same great taste of Eggo that you know and love, plus 10 grams of protein per serving. I made the new Eggo protein waffles for my kids the other day. They didn't even know that they were protein waffles. They're just the Eggo waffles that you know and love. I know they have protein.

[B]

They're just yummy waffles.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

I mean, listen, I know we're talking about breakfast, but I have shared this before. I like them as an afternoon treat. And when your teenagers come home hungry, guess what's real easy to give them? A little protein waffle.

[A]

They say you can fuel your morning, but you can also fuel your afternoon.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

Can you head to your local grocery store to fuel your morning with Eggo protein waffles and pancakes available at retailers nationwide?